I remember hearing the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin and feeling instantly elated. The lyrics and melody were simple but made a lot of sense to me.

I don’t know about you, but I come from a family of “committed worriers.” They worry[2] about things that might be a challenge, they worry about things that are a challenge, and they worry about things that never come to pass. I have spent a great deal of my life working on releasing the habit of “concern and worry” as an instant reaction to change[3].

Worry only doubles the stress

When I looked up the lyrics to the song, one thing stuck out to me:

In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don’t worry, be happy

This is a powerful statement: “When you worry, you make it double.” That means that you experience the challenge twice. First you experience it in your mind and then in whatever form the reality takes. Often times, the worry creates more anxiety[4] than the actual event. So, we have created stress and unnecessary emotional distress[5] for nothing.

My question is this: How does worry support our health and well-being[6]? We cannot change the reality of our lives, but we can choose how we respond to them. There is also information that tells us worry amplifies stress[7] and sends non-supportive chemicals into the body. Chemicals that make us feel worse and create loops of painful responses.

What if we put our attention on what we want instead of what we don’t want? Happiness[8] is a choice! Peace[9] is a choice! Fear[10] is a choice! Doubt is a choice! Which will you choose? I believe that we are on this earth to experience a state of harmony. We are meant to live in a space that is filled with the experience of joyous living. I continue to learn that my family’s addiction to worry does not have to be mine. I choose to be happy now!

Take a moment to remember this

Whatever is going on in your life at this time, I invite you to take a moment and say the following:

Today, I choose to be happy. Today, I release worry and claim peace. I proclaim with great intention, “Don’t worry, be happy!”